The purpose of this study is to observe the efficacy of chemotherapy combined with Traditional Chinese Medicine for elderly patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer, also to evaluate the adverse reaction and the reliability.

TCM: In China,TCM herbs are given on the basis of the TCM syndrome differentiation as diagnosed by the TCM herbal specialist. Prescriptions formulated into granules origin from Professor Liu Jia-xiang in Longhua hospital. Package of granules is made into three types with functions such as benefiting Qi recipe, benefiting Yin recipe and detoxication and resolving masses recipe.The herbal treatment is adapted to the syndromes.

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 80% of all lung cancer diagnoses and more than 75% of the patients are diagnosed with an advanced stage. ASCO guidelines recommended that elderly patients with advanced NSCLC use single-agent chemotherapy. Nearly a decade of clinical trials showed that:the median survival time (MST) of Vinorelbine is 5-10months,1-year survival rate is 32%;the MST of Gemcitabine is 6.8-9months,the MST of Taxol is 6.8-10.3months.Research had shown that TCM can prolong long-term survival and improve QOL, but high-level evidence is desperately needed to support this finding.

The investigators perform a multi-center, randomized, double-blind controlled, prospective study in elderly patients with advanced NSCLC. Patients are randomized over observational group (TCM granules plus single-agent chemotherapy), and control group (TCM placebo plus single-agent chemotherapy). The investigators will observe 4 cycles and after that regular follow-up will be arranged. The primary end point is: PFS (progression-free survival); the secondary end points are: (1) OS(overall survival); (2) Objective response rate; (3) TTP(Time-to-Progression); (4) QOL (EORTC QLQ-L43, TCM syndrome score); (5) other end points are: Toxicity, side effects and security of the treatments will be assessed at the same time. The investigators expect that integrated TCM combined with chemotherapy has a better efficacy on prolonging PFS, OS, improving QOL, reducing the adverse reaction of patients than that of chemotherapy.Therefore our study can provide evidences for optimizing and promoting integrated TCM combined with Western Medicine treatment.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

65 Years to 80 Years

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Sampling Method:

Probability Sample

Study Population

Pathologically or cytologically confirmed of stage IIIb-IV NSCLC； Ages Eligible for Study: ≥65 years old; TCM syndromes are deficiency of Yin, deficiency of Qi and deficiency of both Qi and Yin.

Patient with other malignant tumor except NSCLC 5 years previous to study entry.

Patients who have received single-agent chemotherapy treatment；

Estimated life expectancy less than 12 weeks;

Serious problem of heart, liver or kidney with severe dysfunction;

Pregnant or child breast feeding women;

Mental or cognitive disorders;

Participating in other drug trials;

Who are allergic to the study drug.

Contacts and Locations

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Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01780181